Birthday Celebrations — July 31

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on July 31 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Wesley Snipes

Full name: Wesley Trent Snipes

Born July 31, 1962

Actor, producer, martial artist, author, and action-film star.

Snipes became one of the defining Black action stars of the 1990s and early 2000s. His roles in New Jack City, White Men Can’t Jump, Passenger 57, Demolition Man, and Blade helped shape Black presence in action, drama, comedy, and comic-book film history.

Cassi Davis

Full name: Cassandra Davis-Patton

Born July 31, 1964

Actress, singer, stage performer, and television comedy figure.

Davis became widely known as Ella Payne on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and as Aunt Bam in the Madea universe. Her work blends faith, comedy, warmth, and sharp timing, making her one of Tyler Perry’s most recognizable longtime performers.

Lil Uzi Vert

Birth name: Symere Bysil Woods

Born July 31, 1994 or 1995

Rapper, singer, songwriter, fashion figure, and genre-blending hip-hop artist.

Lil Uzi Vert came out of Philadelphia with a sound that mixed trap, emo rap, punk influence, melody, and futuristic style. Their work helped define a new wave of internet-era hip-hop and expanded what mainstream rap could look and sound like.